Who Is Arabella Stanton? Meet HBO’s New Hermione Granger
Before Hogwarts, she played Matilda on the West End stage. Now Arabella Stanton is bringing Hermione Granger to life in two different ways — on television and in full-cast audiobooks.
Who is Arabella Stanton?
Arabella Stanton is an English actress cast as Hermione Granger in HBO’s new Harry Potter series. Before Hogwarts, she built her experience on London’s West End stage.
Age is based on published reporting; HBO’s original casting announcement did not disclose her date of birth.
What was Arabella Stanton in before Harry Potter?
Before her screen breakthrough, Stanton had two notable West End credits.
Matilda the Musical — Matilda Wormwood
Stanton shared the title role in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s West End production at the Cambridge Theatre. Playing Matilda meant carrying a demanding musical role at a young age.
Starlight Express — Control
She joined the London cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical as Control, moving into a very different stage production after Matilda.
Playing demanding live roles gave her experience with dialogue, timing and performing in front of an audience.
Why does Arabella Stanton play Hermione twice?
The television series and Audible’s full-cast recordings are separate productions. Stanton happens to play young Hermione in both, but the supporting casts are different.
Hermione in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Stanton acts opposite Dominic McLaughlin’s Harry and Alastair Stout’s Ron in the new television series. This is the first season of HBO’s book-by-book adaptation.
Young Hermione in books 1, 2 and 3
Stanton voices Hermione alongside Frankie Treadaway as Harry and Max Lester as Ron. Nina Barker-Francis takes over Hermione’s audiobook voice from book four.
This is not a soundtrack or audio version of the HBO show: the full-cast audiobooks adapt the novels independently.
How did Arabella Stanton get the Hermione role?
HBO announced Stanton as Hermione on 27 May 2025, after an open casting search led by Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann.
In HBO’s behind-the-scenes special Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic, the casting directors discussed Stanton reciting the poem Invictus and then becoming giggly during a scene involving Hermione speaking about Harry and Ron. The spontaneous, playful moment helped them see a lighter side of the character.
The team saw both intelligence and humour in her performance—qualities central to Hermione. For the wider production story, see why HBO is rebooting Harry Potter.
When will Arabella Stanton appear as Hermione?
HBO’s eight-episode Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone premieres on 25 December 2026. UK viewers can check HBO Max UK plans and prices for streaming options.
Stanton’s first TV season as Hermione Granger · Eight episodes
The journey to Hogwarts
From the West End to the screen, Stanton now takes on one of fantasy’s most recognisable characters.
Frequently asked questions
Three quick answers about the new Hermione actor.
How old is Arabella Stanton?
She is widely reported as 12 in 2026. HBO has not publicly confirmed her exact date of birth.
Is Arabella Stanton replacing Emma Watson?
Stanton plays Hermione in HBO’s separate television adaptation. Emma Watson’s performance in the original eight films remains unchanged.
Does Arabella Stanton play Hermione in the audiobooks too?
Yes. She voices young Hermione in the first three full-cast Harry Potter audiobook adaptations, which are separate from the HBO series.
Hasnaat Mahmood
Hasnaat writes about television, films and streaming at FindCheapStreaming, with an emphasis on casting announcements, performer backgrounds and practical viewing guides.
Sources and further reading
- Warner Bros. Discovery — official Harry, Ron and Hermione casting announcement (27 May 2025)
- London Theatre — Matilda West End cast announcement (2023)
- BroadwayWorld — Stanton’s theatre credits and dates
- Audible — full-cast audiobook announcement and performer biography
- Harry Potter — behind-the-scenes casting documentary highlights
- CinemaBlend — Stanton’s audition and casting directors’ account
- Associated Press — Stanton’s interview during audiobook recording (2025)
- Wizarding World — premiere date and current series information